Harrowing Honeymoon
by ShadowEmpress76
Summary: While on their honeymoon, Shadow and Rouge are faced with a tragedy that will test the newlyweds' resolve and Rouge's faith in fate…and Shadow….. Rated 'T' for language.
1. Chapter 1

Well, for my third act, I've dusted off this little fic that I had lying around and decided to share this one as well. Hope you all enjoy this and let me know what you think, ok?

I do not own Sonic or related characters.

**ONE**

Fresh off an emotional and joyous wedding and reception, newlyweds Shadow and Rouge couldn't think of anything else but their honeymoon and they both stir in bed waking slowly to find the new Mr. and Ms. still wrapped in each other's arms. Shadow looks at Rouge and kisses her on her forehead causing her to giggle and snuggles into her husband's chest fur. "Baby, are you ready for a little fun in the sun?" Shadow speaks softly into Rouge's ear.

Rouge looks up at her dark prince, "You know it! We needed this like last year! I can't wait to start wedded life with you letting it all hang out on Coral Isles!"

Shadow holding Rouge closer to him, "Truth be told, I never thought I'd feel this good about my life as I do as I lay next to my amazing wife".

Rouge breathes a light sigh with tears forming in her eyes, "Shadow, you deserve only the best that life can give you. Baby, you have brought happiness to a planet in peril, hope to all who stared doom and death square in the face, and gave my life new meaning, most importantly. You know my past, one full of self and lust and now, the only thing my heart desires is spending my life with you and keeping you happy."

"From the first day I laid eyes upon you, my heart's desire was to make you happy; I'm sure you knew that…" Shadow said while lightly combing Rouge's hair back.

"Oh yeah, you do make me happy, and with very little effort too. Oh, I just love staring into those amazing _ruby-mimicking_ eyes of yours." Rouge mutters while nuzzling Shadow's muzzle playfully, causing a light chuckle from her ebony and crimson spouse.

"And with all said Rouge, let's get up and get ready for our vacation, hmm?"

"Sure thing honey...damn!"

"What is it, love?" Shadow says with a concerned look.

"I really wanted that damn moon ring and wear it during our honeymoon, but I overspent getting everything else ready and I think I lost that damn receipt for it being my usual careless self and…"

Shadow stares blankly at Rouge as she continues to complain about not having the ring for the trip triggering a flashback.

**Flashback **

Rouge had just put the finishing touches to a scrumptious breakfast consisting of her and Shadow's favorites: fried eggs, bacon, sausage, home fries, and biscuits when Shadow walks into the kitchen half asleep before being shot awake by the smell of the food prepared. He walks over to Rouge, grabs her by her waist and plants a kiss to her forehead, "Morning, baby. Food looks good and sure smells good also!"

Rouge looks at him seductively, and then smirks. "Morning to you, sunshine, all your faves, love you."

Shadow playfully turns her to face him with a look of anticipation and exclaims, "Love ya too, ok, let's eat!"

"Oooooh, ravenous one, aren't we?"

"Yeah, baby, Starved!" Shadow says while playfully rubbing his stomach.

Once the couple sits down to enjoy their breakfast, Shadow opens up a conversation while savoring the delicious food his future wife prepared. "So, what's up in your world, honey?"

"Oh, nothing much Shad….well, all things are coming together for our honeymoon and I brought all new clothes for us and some jewelry for _me_ of course..." she said with a small smile.

Shadow stares at her with loving eyes and feels good to know that she is excited about their honeymoon and she's equally excited to buy things that make her happy.

"I put a really nice ring, a moon ring on layaway and can't wait to get it out. It's the item I'm most excited about having with me on our honeymoon!" Rouge explained gleefully.

"What? I thought I was the item you were most excited to have on our honeymoon!" Shadow said feigning disappointment.

"Of course you are, silly! I also bought a really nice watch for you to wear to the fancier places we visit."

"Cool. Question, how much did you spend on just accessories? You know we're only gone for a week, woman!"

Rouge looks at her future husband with a nervous smile, "Well…Shadow…I…. look baby, its one time we get to have a honeymoon and….."

Shadow stops her in mid-sentence and asks, "How much Rouge and where are the receipts?"

"Alight, one minute. Besides, why do you want to see the receipts anyway?"

"ROUGE?"

"Ok, fine!" Rouge goes upstairs to get the receipts leaving Shadow to shake his head in disbelief. "Rouge girl, what am I gonna do with you?"

Rouge comes back downstairs with the receipts and gives them to Shadow. He looks at the papers and tallies the total cost of the items purchased and looks up at Rouge and says, "Well, at least we'll have some spending money. I would have been devastated and quite embarrassed if I go to rent us a watercraft and my credit card came back to me DECLINED!" Rouge laughs and kicks Shadow in his shin getting a squeal out of him and a chuckle.

"Well Shaddie, if you are finished, I'll take your plate and start cleaning up."

Rouge gets up and as soon as she turns around, Shadow takes the receipt for the moon ring and shoves it inside the pocket of his pajama pants. "Oh baby, let me help you with the cleanup..."

After breakfast, both Rouge and Shadow head to their spacious bathroom with his and hers sinks, a beautiful claw foot tub and a shower that could easily rival sports locker rooms. Once inside, they both decide to take a bath and they remove their night clothes and fill the tub with a citrus scented bath soap then both descend into the bathtub with Shadow sitting behind Rouge, both drifting into a restful doze. After an hour and a half, they both wash each other while playing around with any remaining suds. With the couple now 'squeaky clean' and tuckered out from their end-wash activity, the couple then head to their bedroom to get ready to tackle the day with various errands.

Just before Rouge finished putting a sweet smelling lotion on the last of her body, Shadow looks at her from the corner of his eye, smirks then walks over to Rouge, pulling her up off the bed and holds and caresses her. "Girl, I can't get enough of this beautiful body of yours."

Rouge blushes and holds Shadow by his waist. "Well handsome, your eyes are hypnotizing and this hard ass body…..is calling out to me to do as I please and I wanna please it…" She then plants soft kisses on his chest.

With his arousal peaked, Shadow gently pushes Rouge onto the bed. Rouge begins to feel her body heat up with passion. Shadow then looks into Rouge's eyes, "I wanna please you too, Rouge…" he says with a low seductive voice. Shadow's fiery, dominant gaze seems to peer deep into Rouge's soul. Rouge's innocent, conquered emerald eyes staring back telling Shadow she's all his for his pleasure. The two then take their passion up a notch and engage in a heated sex-driven make-out session. Once the couple comes down from their coital high, the contented couple shares a hearty laugh while trying to catch their breath.

"Shadow, I love you!" Rouge said breathlessly.

"I love you too, Rouge." Shadow whispers before collapsing besides his beautiful winged angel.

"Well, we have an excuse to get into the shower now, don't we?" Rouge said with a wink.

"Yeah, I think you're right."

The lovebirds take a shower and then put on their clothes. They check each other out admiring the other's impeccable style and head for the room door. Rouge makes her way downstairs and Shadow remembers about the moon ring receipt in his pajama pants pocket, retrieves the paper and hurries downstairs to Rouge before she gets suspicious about her fiancé and goes back to see what's taking him.

The couple gets into the car and head to one of Rouge's favorite places, the mall. Once there, Shadow displays one of the many qualities that attracted Rouge to him, chivalry, by opening the car door and taking Rouge's hand leading her out of the car. "Thanks babe." she said with a wink. Shadow taps her butt causing a giggle from his better half.

For the first hour or so, they shop together for household items and last minute items for their honeymoon. Shadow then comes up with a way for he and Rouge to split up and shop so he can get Rouge's moon ring out of layaway to surprise her. Grabbing Rouge and pulling her gently towards him, "I know how much you hate sports and such, but Modells (points his thumb towards said store) has this pull on me leading me there and I will not fight it any, so I may be a while in there and…."

"Shadooow…!"

"Oh, ok, a little while. Anyway, you go and shop till your heart's content and we'll meet up at the entrance to the food court in about an hour or so, ok honey? Love you, my goddess!" he then plants a light kiss upon her soft lips.

"Your hour starts... now!" Rouge said looking at her watch. The couple kissed once more then went their separate ways. Rouge took a few steps from Shadow then turned around to give him that puppy dog face that always melts him when she displayed it. Shadow saw her face, grinned then blew a kiss to her before turning around and running into Modells. Rouge started her trek in and out of stores shopping and admiring items while Shadow made one purchase from Modells then made his way to the jewelry store that had Rouge's moon ring and hurried the clerk with the transaction as not to be caught by Rouge buying the moon ring. He apologized to the clerk for his hasty purchase and the clerk forgave him and congratulated him on his upcoming nuptials. Shadow started on meeting up with Rouge. When they spot each other, they greet each other warmly.

"Did the Modells _'pull'_ work up an appetite for you? I'm a little hungry myself." Rouge asks.

"With all that running around I did, I do need to refuel for when we get home." he said romantically grabbing onto Rouge, taking her in a loving embrace. With last minute purchases by each and Rouge's moon ring in his possession, Shadow leads his beloved over to the food court to satisfy them with nourishment.

**End Flashback.** (One helluva lengthy flashback, huh? Lol)

Rouge finished her complaint while Shadow continued to stare at her. Rouge notices the look on his face and asks if he's heard anything she said. With the blank look on his face betraying him, Rouge was convinced he didn't and she playfully hits him on the shoulder snapping him out of his daze then they playfully tussle a little before getting dressed and having a light breakfast before preparing to depart for the airport to begin their honeymoon adventures.

After finishing a hearty, healthy breakfast, the couple heads back upstairs to retrieve their luggage. "Rouge baby, have you checked our checklist to make sure we have everything before we leave?"

"I think so. I'll check it again to be absolutely sure…" Rouge goes over the checklist once again and happily nods with confidence that everything on the checklist is accounted for. As Rouge was slowly bending up from securing the suitcases, Shadow placed his muscular arms lovingly around Rouge causing her to slightly jump at the sudden embrace. "Rouge, are you sure you checked and double-checked to make sure we have everything?"

Rouge answered softly, "Yes baby, everything we need is in these suitcases."

"Uh uh, not everything…."

"What do you mean?" Rouge asks quizzically.

"What about…..this" Shadow reaches inside his pants pocket and brings Rouge's moon ring before her. "THE…...RING? OH, SHADOW!" Rouge exclaims in excitement then spins around to hug Shadow in a tight embrace. "OH MY GOSH! YOU ARE AMAZING! I THOUGHT I LOST THE RECEIPT! YOU….SHA….HAD IT ALL….along…"

"Well, I couldn't let you go on our honeymoon upset because you didn't have that ring that means so much to you, now could I?" Shadow chuckled.

"I LOVE YOU SHADOW!"

"Come here girl…." Shadow then leads him and Rouge over to the bed and climbs on top of her and begin to kiss and lick her face, her neck, and finally, his tongue asking for her mouth's permission to enter inside. Rouge hungrily returned the intense passion and breathlessly said to him, "Now, I'm ready for our trip thanks to you."

"Anything for your happiness, my love." Shadow whispered. Shadow then felt Rouge tugging on his pants begging for him to enter inside of her love canal, but Shadow grabs her hand. "Now now Rougey, we keep this up, we'll miss our flight."

"Damn, Shadow!" Rouge said impatiently. Shadow looked at her and then gave her his trademark smirk that sends Rouge soaring instantly. "Let's go…" He whispered.

And now, off to their first vacation as husband and wife...


	2. Chapter 2

_Italicized_ words: thoughts and/or to make emphasis.

**TWO**

Shadow and Rouge arrive at the airport and not a moment too soon before they missed the final boarding call. "Hmm, just made it, see? Had I let you ravage me, we wouldn't have made it at all, right gorgeous?" Shadow said with a low seductive voice.

"Shut up, Shaddie!" Rouge playfully squealed. The couple finds their seating assignments. Rouge has no problem unfolding her powerful wings and taking flight, given the situation. As soon she sat down next to Shadow who took the window seat, her body began to heat up and sweat lightly. She was very uncomfortable about not having control of the flight for she would be closed and restrained inside of the airplane. Shadow sensed her ever rising discomfort about her first experience aboard a plane and took hold of her hand ensuring her she would be safe with him. "Shadow! My goodness, we haven't left the ground yet, can't you just Chaos Control us to Coral Isles? I'd feel a lot better!" Shadow grins and shakes his head no.

"So, you two are headed to Coral Isles, huh?" said an elderly man leaning from his seat across the aisle over to the couple. "May and I are going today also. It's our fifth time going."

"Really? Five times? Wow! This place must be quite the vacation destination!" said Rouge excitedly.

Shadow leaned forward to partake in the conversation. "Please, enlighten us. We're beginning our honeymoon and since you've been there on several occasions, please share recommendations on what we should partake of while on the island."

May then speaks, "Oh, newlyweds? How wonderful! You two make a beautiful couple!"

Shadow and Rouge look at one another, grin, wink at each other then turn their attention back to May. "Oh, I remember when Parker and I went to Coral Isles for our honeymoon. They already had so much to do then you know…the usual things that tourists indulge themselves with. As the years passed however, Coral Isles grew and grew and now has a lot of computer and virtual displays and interactive attractions just perfect for young tourists like yourselves!"

"Sounds right up my alley!" said Shadow excitedly.

"Not here, I'm afraid. I'd love to take in the serene nostalgia." said Rouge. The elderly couple continued to ramble about past visits to Coral Isles and Shadow and Rouge began to get even more excited about exploring and making new memories while on vacation. The excitement was short lived when the plane's engines began to ignite and roar to life, sending shivers up and down Rouge's spine. "Well Rouge? We're off. Hold tight sweetheart, away we go!" Rouge just held tighter to Shadow's hand and sat up tensely, staring forward.

"Rouge? Baby, you ok?" Shadow said leaning over speaking softly into Rouge's ear.

"Chaos…..Control…" Rouge closed her eyes, whispering just enough for Shadow to hear. Shaking his head and chuckling, he reached into his carry-on bag and lifted out his IPod. "Rouge here, put these on. Let our love songs lull you into a state of blissful euphoria. Baby, just think about our love story from the time we met until this present time, ok? I promise you, it will help make the flight bearable, even enjoyable." Shadow placed the headphones on Rouge's ears and she looked at him unsurely. He nodded grinning. Rouge closed her eyes and began to lay back and take in the sweet love songs as Shadow started the playlist. "That's it baby, relax….relax." He cooed.

"Mmmmm Shadow, I'm starting to feel better now, thanks." Rouge then enters a peaceful calm and Shadow just stares at his beautiful wife in contentment.

"_I love you so much, Rouge. I couldn't be happier than I am now as your husband and you as my wife."_ Satisfied with Rouge's comfort, he reclines himself and closes his eyes and drifts off to sleep so the flight can hurry and arrive at their destination when he opens them again.

The newlyweds, after a lengthy flight, arrive at Coral Isles. The couple takes in the immediate sights and is just as excited to interact with their surroundings as they were on the plane talking to the couple who told them about various things to do once they got there.

"Now kids, enjoy and make many memories…and babies, ok?" Parker said with a wink. Shadow and Rouge laugh at the joke then Rouge stares off in another direction and Shadow notices and then starts to tickle her. "Ok, ok! Alright! I think we should listen to the wise man!" Rouge said while having her sides 'split' from laughter.

"Shuttle's here love, ready?"

"Sure thing, Shaddie".

The couple aboard the shuttle and arrive at their resort hotel, the Grand Coral Regency. They enter and are greeted with a massive indoor fountain with a dramatic color spectrum of water (reminiscent of the colors of the Chaos Emeralds) trickling down various parts of the sculpture. They admire the fountain for a moment before heading over to the mahogany and gold accented check-in booth and they give their names to the clerk. The couple is then given keycards to their suite.

Upon entering (Rouge enters first), Rouge is taken aback by the sheer size and beauty of the suite with its vaulted ceiling-to-floor windows, walk-out balcony, spacious living room, full kitchen/pantry, two bedrooms with the master bedroom having its own bathroom complete with his and hers vanities, stand-alone rain head glass shower and Jacuzzi tub. "Shadow, this place is incredible! I can't believe it, all this for me? I don't deserve this…."

Shadow takes his wife in his arms dismissing her modesty. "Are you crazy? You are my life, my everything! I would give you the world if I owned it. This is just the beginning of how I will display my love and gratitude to you for pledging your commitment to me!"

"Shadow, I will return my gratitude the best way I can and….."

Rouge is cut off and quieted. "Just continue being that loving, supportive and sexy wife that I desire, that's all. Let me take care of you, ok Rouge? I love you"

"I love you too…." Rouge whispered softly.

"Ok then, let's get unpacked and freshened up, ok love?"

"We're taking _another_ shower Shadow? I'm losing track of the several we had already!" Joked Rouge.

"If I recall, someone was a little _'hot'_ during our flight from her comfort zone being compromised, hmm?" Shadow taunts.

"Touché Shadow...anyway, let's get back to the bubbles AGAIN..."

"Can I undress you, Rougey?"

"Hmph..."

The couple begin to unpack their luggage that was sent up to them by a courteous bellhop and the couple decided to change their clothes, so they took a quick shower together and changed into comfortable linen attire so the warm island breeze can swirl around and through their garments. Once they finished changing, they admired each other's new duds and decided to take in the scenery outside of their luxury hotel and do some shopping for souvenirs for their family and friends back home.

It's around 2:13 pm when they actually arrive at the strip of shopping boutiques and various souvenir shops. The weather is nice and sunny not to mention warm. "Hey Shad, can you grab an icicle for us to share?"

"Sure thing babe…"

They get to the icicle stand and ordered the largest tropical flavored icicle they had and start to playfully lick on the treat while playing tag with each other's tongues. After slurping up the frozen treat and discarding the container, Shadow with his arm around Rouge's shoulders and Rouge's arm around Shadow's waist, start to window shop, examining the stores before deciding on which stores they will be spending _Shadow's_ money in (wink wink).

"Remember Rouge, save enough for our jet-ski rental, ok honey?"

Rouge looked up at Shadow with a sinister look, "Sure Shadow, ski rental…ok…..hmph.." then rolled her eyes.

"I mean it, Rougey!"

"Ok Shad, just kidding, HONEST!" she laughs. Shadow kisses Rouge's forehead and the couple continue the slow walk down the shopping strip.

A few blocks from where the honeymooners are looking into a jewelry storefront, a hotel about one third the size of the hotel that Shadow and Rouge are spending their honeymoon is going about business as usual. Unbeknownst to anyone who happens to be passing by, there's trouble is brewing on the inside…


	3. Chapter 3

_Italicized_ words: thoughts and/or to make emphasis.

**THREE**

Moonlight Hotel

Earlier that morning the management staff started getting complaints from patrons about there being no hot water to the units and sent a team of their seemingly best maintenance workers down to the boiler room. The maintenance workers find some cracked hot water lines, a few seeping out water, a few seeping out gas. The maintenance supervisor instructs one of his staff to shut off the main gas and water feeds so they can make the necessary repairs. Unfortunately, the staff member sent to turn off the main gas and water lines didn't receive the full maintenance training and were unsure of which levers to turn on the massive board on the opposite end of the boiler room. Not wanting his supervisor to know that he was poorly trained on this crucial information, he began thinking of a process of elimination to himself. _"Maybe if I follow the pipe to the lever that might do the trick..."_ The maintenance worker started following various pipes; well he thought he was following the correct pipes and as a result, made the critical mistake of crossing pipes that he followed with his fingers from where he was standing instead of actually _FOLLOWING_ them leaving his current position.

"Hey Garry, you find the damn lines yet?" hollered the supervisor.

"Uh, ok, one minute!"

"Idiot!" muttered the supervisor.

"_The supe will come over and set fire underneath my ass if I don't find these damned lines…."_ Unsurely, the worker began pulling levers he thought would shut off gas and water feeds and started to hear pressure start to build up in the pipes whose lever he pulled. The mistake would prove costly.

On the opposite end of the boiler room where the maintenance supervisor and the other staff were, pipes that were already cracked started to expand more and more until they started to explode, causing pieces of pipe to violently shoot projectiles of themselves hurtling through the air to mercilessly strike the workers in various parts of their body killing a few and sending survivors scrambling for the exit. Gary, the misguided worker responsible for the disarray, ran over to his co-workers all while ducking and dodging debris. "Sorry sir! I'll get help!"

"Hurry, hurry!" screamed the supervisor.

The boiler room started to slowly fill up with water and the gas that leaked out of the pipes mix with flames in the various heaters and boilers resulting in small explosions that sent workers scrambling for their lives. Garry hustled to get to the main lobby to send for help. As he entered the lobby, the lobby started to tremble violently as the boiler room was exploding and the hotel's foundation started to crumble which would eventually cause a chain reaction with the upper floors until the hotel would just fall inside of itself. Garry managed to alert the security and front desk staff of the impending danger just before the lobby started losing its chandeliers and other suspended items crashing down upon the staff and patrons. Pandemonium ensues; people running for their lives, trampling over each other. The lobby's lights were the first to go out making the scene even more dangerous and visibility became slim to none. The main power then went out and anyone trapped in elevators would have to accept the tin box as their grave as they would not make it out alive. Falling debris continued their assault on lobby staff and patrons, either killing or severely hurting others.

Second floor of the hotel with its power out, started to lose their walls and hanging items as scared patrons scrambled to the nearest emergency exits just to find their escape routes consumed with smoke. Some patrons risked smoke inhalation and went down towards the lobby. Some made it, while others succumbed to the smoke and eventually fire that crept up from the lower two floors. Patrons who decided against the emergency exits jumped out of windows of their rooms to startled townsfolk and visitors walking and/or doing various things. Some of the unsuspecting were killed or badly hurt from falling Mobian hotel patrons. "What the?" "Look out!" "Someone call the police, NOW!" "Oh, Gosh, get help someone!" cried some of the ground spectators. On the third floor however, damage was slowly progressing giving enough time for most of the patrons to find ways out safely.

In room 315, a young female Mobian lioness named Bree was in her room playing with a doll her parents purchased for her as a souvenir. Meanwhile, her parents were in the living area watching TV when the mother was startled by violent rumbling that shook the whole unit causing things not bolted to shelves to tumble onto to the floor. "Honey, you feel that?" Her husband jumped and ran over to the window to find mass hysteria on the ground below from police sirens, fire engines and panicked Mobians. "Something's going on in here; we need to get out, get Bree, NOW!" the husband shouted to his wife. Upon hearing her name, Bree dropped her doll and ran out of her room towards the living room with her parents. "Mommy, Dad, what's going on, I'm scared!"

"Baby, we're getting out of here, let's go!" Bree's mother commanded.

"Ok…"

Bree's father led his family out of the hotel room and was awe stricken by the damage the other units on their floor sustained by the explosion down in the boiler room. "Whatever you girls do, stay very close to me, understand?" Mother and daughter shook their heads in understanding. As the patriarch was leading his family down the partially destroyed corridor, they passed by a few dead bodies and instinctively Bree's mother shielded her daughter from the sight and they slowly made their way stepping over some of the dead. The family continued down the hallway to come to the exit. "No, we can't go this way, too dangerous! Come on, this way…" The father then directs them towards the stairs to the right then another short right. They make it to the stairs and then start to choke and cough for the smoke is pretty dense now. On this floor, the lights are pretty much out except for one or two emergency lights. The family moves along the corridor the best they can until they reach another exit. Upon seeing that this exit would provide the same result as the previous one they encountered should they attempt to use it, opted to follow along what they thought was a way to the first floor stairs.

"We should be near the stairs to the lobby now…" said the father.

"I hope so; I can't take this much longer!" The mother said trying to clear out her smoke filled lungs.

"We're almost…..AAAAAAH!"

"CHARLES!" Charles makes one step too many and falls through a hole in the middle of the second floor and because his wife held his hand, she too fell through letting go of Bree's hand ensuring she didn't fall through as well. "MOMMY! DADDY!" Bree screams with terror-filled eyes.

"Bree, don't step further! Go around and find another way down baby, I know you can do it!" cried her mother who had fallen down and landed awkwardly causing her ankle to snap in two.

"MOM!"

"GO BREE, NOW!" cried her father. Bree cried and went the opposite way paying heed to any dangers she may encounter all while trying to open doors to see if she can hide inside one of the rooms. Surprisingly, many of the doors were locked, but that didn't deter her determination to find some place to hole herself in until help arrived. After some time, she successfully found an open room and made her way to the bathroom and got into the tub and curled her body in a fetal position and remained that way in hopes that she could hold out until that help arrived for her. Meanwhile, her father screams for help for his wife who cannot walk due to her serious ankle injury. Hearing his cries, help finally arrived in the form of a maintenance worker who helps Charles carry his wife to the safety of outside rescue waiting behind police barricades. She is then triaged on the spot for she insisted she'd wait there until Bree was safely out of the hotel.


	4. Chapter 4

_Italicized_ words: thoughts and/or to make emphasis.

FOUR

Inside of the hotel, along with chaos and disorder from panicked patrons and hotel staff, more small explosions added to the mounting fear and the need for rescue becomes even direr. Shadow and Rouge make their way even closer to the hotel but even the honeymooners can't help but notice all of the shouting and screaming that's all around them. They pause for a moment to assess all of the commotion around them.

"I wonder what's up with all of those sirens and people screaming bloody murder..."

"I'm not certain, but whatever it is, it can't be good, especially with the ambulances about..."

The couple is surprised by a distraught Mobian running up to them and insisting that they go back to whence they came from because of the smoke that the wind will blow towards their current position. The Mobian then runs off before either Shadow or Rouge could question him about the cause of the mass hysteria leaving the couple with their thoughts. Shadow turned his head to watch the route of the police and ambulances and a feeling of dread comes over him. "Baby, I don't know, but whatever's going on down there is pretty damn serious, you heard that guy."

"I don't doubt you for a moment love, but let's allow the proper authorities to handle what's going on down there, while you and I..." Rouge takes Shadow's attention from what's going on around them by reaching up to cup his face and laying light, soft kisses upon his lips. "Continue with our honeymoon, ok?"

Accepting his beloved's affection, "This'll never get old, kissing those luscious lips."

"Good boy. Let's go..."

"Getting me back from earlier, hmm?"

"Oh Shaddie, I'm just getting started with you."

"Hmph." For obvious reasons, Shadow still has that nagging feeling within him that something or someone may need his assistance, but he forces it to the recesses of his mind for the sake of his honeymoon and keeping Rouge happy. The couple once again arm and arm, go in and out of the stores lining the strip of shops before stopping at yet another storefront. Shadow takes Rouge's hand and admires her moon ring shining brightly in the sunlight and kisses the ring. "Awh, it is beautiful against the sunlight…" Rouge sighs contently.

"Just like your eyes, baby…" He stares deeply into those optical jewels of hers. She lovingly stares back, trancelike. As the couple start to lean towards each other for a kiss, the couple is suddenly jolted out of their transfixion when a huge explosion is heard. It's the doomed hotel. "What the hell?" cried Shadow.

"Look, the hotel! The place is decimated!" cried Rouge. Shadow shields his wife from the flying debris and devastation while watching in amazement and horror. Shadow lifts Rouge's chin to face him then grabs her shoulders. "I need to help those people in there Rouge. Wait inside of that café over there until I return for you…." Shadow points in the direction of a small cafe across from where they stand.

"WHAT?" cried Rouge.

"Trust me, with my power and strength, I can be an asset towards rescue efforts…" assured Shadow.

Rouge grabs hold of her husband's shoulders while pleading, "Please Shadow, we're on our honeymoon and I don't want you getting hurt! That's what the damn police and med teams are paid to do, help those people, so Shadow, let them do their jobs!"

Shadow then looks deep into his wife's fearful eyes, "Please understand, I just don't want to be standing around spectating and not try in some way to aid them. Trust me; I'll be fine, ok? Please Rouge, let me help them!" He hugs Rouge tightly against his chest and kisses her forehead, "I love you. I'll be fine, I promise…" he said softly.

"Be careful." Rouge said with a defeated voice.

"I will." Shadow again instructs Rouge to go and wait for his return inside the café then makes his way towards the hotel.

Finally reaching the front of the ravaged hotel and before Shadow would allow himself entrance by passing the police barricade, he is stopped by one of the rescue personnel. "Please sir, allow me to assist you in rescuing these people. I promise you, you won't regret allowi…" Shadow pleaded and was immediately cut off,

"Sorry buddy, we've got this covered; don't wanna risk more casualties…"

"I beg you! Let me…."

"Look, I can't allow you, please step back behind the tape will ya!"

"Dammit!" screamed Shadow.

Frustrated, Shadow began to find another way inside of the hotel by walking around the side and to the back of the building hoping to find cargo doors, employee entrance, something that would allow him access inside. After discovering these exits inaccessible to him, he sighs in frustration and kicks into his ever faithful plan 'b'. When he finds no one is in his immediate sight, he summons the power of Chaos Control and is teleported inside the main lobby of the hotel.

After the dramatic entrance which included a bright flash of green light had concluded, Shadow appeared on top of rubble that littered the middle of the front lobby. Shadow took in the scene before him looking to his left and his right. "Oh, shit… what happened… wha…" He whispered in a bit of shock at the devastation.

"Hey mister! I just saw you….how'd you do that?" said Tony, a young maintenance worker who was standing there in shock.

"I'll explain later. Hey, maybe we can together get some people out of here… What's your name?"

"Tony, sir."

"I'm Shadow. How well do you know this place?"

"Well, I've been here a couple of weeks now doing maintenance so, not so good…" With an incredulous face, Shadow looked at Tony while gathering up a thought for options. As Shadow bowed his head and pinched the bridge of his noise, he prepared to speak. "Listen...Tony, use what you know to help escort people near us out of here, ok?"

"Ok Shadow. Thanks."

"Go NOW!" Tony rushes from Shadow's sight to do his part in leading nearby patrons and staff towards the exit not without looking back at Shadow momentarily and wondering what was that freakish thing he did to suddenly land on top of the lobby's rubble.

Shadow walked towards the front desk and started to move towards the other side of it when he heard a whimpering sound. He moved closer to discover a 30ish year old female hedgehog holding herself in a fetal position. "Hey miss? You ok?" The woman turns to find Shadow reaching out a hand to her. "Come on, get up. You don't wanna be here a minute longer; this'll be your grave." The woman slowly unfolds herself and shakily reaches her hand out to him and once their hands clasp together, she lunges towards him and gives him a hug in appreciation.

"It's ok, you're safe now. What's your name?"

"Drea. I'm a front desk clerk. It started to shake wildly in here and everything started falling from the ceiling; people running around frantically!" She explained with a trembling voice.

"SHHH, we'll get through this, ok?" Shadow silently assesses their immediate area and concludes it's safe for the traumatic clerk to help in some manner towards evacuation efforts.

"Now, I want you to stay here and whenever you see anyone coming your way, escort them that way, ok?" Shadow points to a wall serving as a makeshift exit next to the electric exit doors which now won't open due to damage caused by the explosion. "Can you do that?"

Drea answers fearfully, "I don't wanna just stand here, please stay with me!"

"Listen, you can do this! If this becomes too much for you, just run out of here. But try, ok?" Shadow grabs Drea by the shoulders. "You know this place like the back of your hand, right? People are counting on you; please, Drea…"

"Uh, ok…thanks, uhm?..."

"Shadow..."

"Right…Shadow." After the small pep talk, Shadow nods his head to Drea and tells her he is going to find his way up to the floors to assist trapped patrons and lead them to the makeshift exit.


	5. Chapter 5

_Italicized _words: thoughts and/or to make emphasis.

**FIVE**

News about the sudden explosion traveled far and wide, alerting local and national media outlets who have dispatched reporters who are now en route to cover this tragic story…..

Outside of the Moonlight Hotel, a lead rescue technician is communicating via walkie-talkie to his superiors about being permitted to cross the barricades to go into the hotel when a fellow tech run towards him and greets him.

"Sir, me and the guys are awaiting orders to proceed."

"Action is halted; awaiting instructions from the top."

"Aye sir."

The lion couple, whose daughter is still trapped inside of the hotel along with a few other survivors and witnesses, listened in on the short exchange between the rescue techs. Charles fearing the worst for his daughter grabs the attention of the assistant tech and demands answers. "Look sir, my daughter is trapped inside there! What further instructions do you need? Can't you just go with your gut and get in there and get those still trapped out?"

"I understand your concern sir, but it isn't that easy to simply march into a burning building without guidance. You have to understand that I have to follow specific instructions to ensure all are evacuated out safely."

"Time don't wait for nobody! What if another explosion happens while you're _waiting_ for your _instructions_?" shouted a witness.

"YEAH!" "THIS IS RIDICULOUS!" "GET MY BOY OUT OF THERE!" "I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS IS WHAT MY TAX DOLLARS ARE WASTED ON, SHOTTY PUBLIC SERVANTS!" voiced other frustrated and concerned witnesses.

"We're doing all that we can and as quickly as humanely possible to get everyone out. Please allow us to do our jobs and don't lose hope." The lead rescue tech added trying to get control of the tumult at hand and helping to bolster up confidence in all who are riding out this tragic event.

A ringing alert from his walkie-talkie is heard by the lead tech and he excuses himself to respond to it. Meanwhile, many rescue personnel scramble here and there either responding to cries for help by injured patrons or answering mounting questions from witnesses about their loved ones' conditions and/or whereabouts inside of the hotel or trying to hold back irate witnesses from crossing the barricades.

About twenty minutes later, to the relief of the anxious rescue techs, the order to enter and assist was passed down by their superiors and the lead tech gathers his team to give out specific instructions in dealing with the situations they will face once inside. The witnesses are relieved to see the units equipping themselves with heavy protective gear to prevent smoke inhalation and other fire related injuries. The team now heads into the hotel. Some witnesses began to say prayers for the safe return of loved ones and rescue personnel.

The rescue units soon realize upon entering the hotel lobby via the crack in the wall next to the nonfunctioning doors that they will need to find multiple ways to the upper floors to help trapped patrons. Orders from the lead rescuer in charge were to split the team up into two units with unit A climbing through the rubble starting on the first floor and unit B going back outside and hooking themselves up to grappling cables and lifting themselves onto the roof and going inside via a door leading to the third floor emergency exit.

Once inside the 3rd floor, rescue unit B began their search along the hallway and going through the rooms looking for survivors. Upon seeing a few dead bodies, their hopes for finding anyone here alive were dashed. They decided to wait near the exit to the roof for anyone coming their way assuming the ground to roof unit A and/or civilian rescuers will lead the survivors to the awaiting unit.

**In The Café….**

Mrs. Baxter, a 50 year old café patron was eating a pastry and drinking coffee while looking at the hotel scene when she thought she heard someone either talking to themselves or whimpering nearby. She turned her head towards the noise to see a young female bat a couple of tables seated behind her holding herself doing what she thought she heard and walked over to the silently distraught bat. "Honey?" said the café patron. "My name's Mrs. Baxter. It's terrible what's going on over across the street isn't it?" Mrs. Baxter calmly places a hand on Rouge's shoulder. Rouge flinches then calms down with the assurance that Mrs. Baxter's only aim is to comfort her. "What's your name, sweetie?"

"Rouge." She answers sullenly.

"I don't see anyone coming out on their own power; stretchers and body bags only!" claimed Mrs. Baxter.

With this realization now manifesting inside Rouge's head, she exclaims, "Oh my God! My husband's in there helping with rescue! I need to go and get him or something!" Rouge suddenly bolts for the front door and pulls at the handle in a desperate attempt to leave the café when she is stopped by Mrs. Baxter. "I need to see him please! Let me go to him!" cried Rouge.

"Baby, ain't nothin' you can do for him at this point. Just wait here and see if you see him walking out on his own or on a stretcher…" Rouge continues to stare out of the front door watching the horrific scene unfolding at the hotel with glossy tear-filled eyes. She learned her forehead against the glass and sighed. Now reduced to pleading softly with a trembling voice, "No.…Shadow, please...don't be hurt, I need you..."

She silently prays that she wouldn't have to witness the latter.

Back inside the hotel, Shadow is moving along the first floor hallway when he finds a gentleman presumably in his mid to late 40's knelt down by an injured patron. "Thank God you're here! We gotta get him out of here! He's pretty bad off!" the man offers a hand to Shadow. "The name's Lou. I'm one of the housekeepers here."

Shadow shakes Lou's hand. "I'm Shadow. Let me see 'em…" Shadow then kneels down to the injured patron.

"My leg's twisted! It hurts like hell!" the young patron cried out.

"Listen, uh?" says Shadow.

"My name's Jeremy."

"Jeremy, I'm gonna make a splint for your leg and you're gonna have to bear the pain a while and walk with us until we get you out of here to have your leg taken care of properly, ok?"

"Thanks, man, I'll try by best." Shadow then searches around for available tools and finds them to fashion a splint using pieces of broken floorboard and ripped cloth for the young man's broken leg and applies it. "This should hold temporarily. Lou and I will follow close to you. Should the pain become too unbearable for you, we'll manage carrying you from that point…" Shadow looks over to Lou with Lou nodding in agreeance with Shadow's offer.

"Well, it looks like we gonna have to work together to get these people out of here, Shadow. We can go back the way you came to get this guy outta here…"

"Sure thing….."

Lou and Shadow help Jeremy up and the he makes an attempt to keep up with the two healthier gentlemen.

"Just a little more and we'll be at the entrance. Still holding?" inquired Lou to Jeremy.

"I'll manage…"

The three men reach about seventy five feet from the entrance to the lobby area when a sudden small explosion from the basement shakes the floor they're on and all three stumble backwards as rubble falling from the 2nd floor seal up their exit and traps them leaving them to have to find another way out. Shadow is the first to get up followed by Lou.

"Damned place! Hey, are you alright?" Shadow asked of Jeremy.

Jeremy grimaces and moans in pain for he fell square on his injured leg during the fall. Through blinding pain, he manages a response, "Yeah, I guess it's up then huh?"

"It appears it's our only option now. Here, let me help you up. You're doing good so far, stay with us." Shadow concluded.

"Awh man! My leg is killing me though….I…I don't know if I can go anymore."

"This place isn't that big from what I can tell, so it won't be long before we're out of here, ok? You know what, use this as leverage." Shadow grabs a long piece of floorboard and places it underneath Jeremy's right armpit so he can alleviate the pressure on his bad leg and can walk, but barely.

"I know some shortcuts we can take to reach the roof. Let's hope it's clear, though…" Lou said assuredly. "Well, let's get moving…"

With their only exit now blocked off to them, they start to head to the stairs leading to the second floor. As the men near the stairs, they hear people who hid themselves in various rooms cry for help. Lou and Shadow split their search for the desperate survivors with Lou taking the left side of the hall and Shadow taking the right. Lou instructs Jeremy to sit on a bench not for from them so they could look for the patrons calling out for help. Jeremy doesn't hesitate and is quite thankful to take the pressure off of his leg and he sits and waits.

Lou and Shadow begin their search of the rooms. Lou finds a few survivors huddled in a living room in one unit, and Shadow, a couple more in a bedroom under the bed in another. All are escorted out by their rescuers and assembled out into the hallway to get instruction from Lou on their exit strategy. The rescued patrons start to offer various words of thanks and gratitude en masse to Lou and Shadow. A moment later, Lou interrupts them saying, "Now look, we're far from out of the woods here, so listen up. I'll head up front and Shadow here will bring up the rear. Everyone calm down, pay close attention to your surroundings and we all will get out safely, got it?" everyone nodded in agreeance.

Now a plan is in order to head to the roof and the group of survivors including Jeremy who is worse off than the rest, makes their way towards the 2nd floor.


	6. Chapter 6

_Italicized words:_ thoughts and/or to make emphasis.

**SIX**

As rescue efforts continued on into the evening, media giants from all over including the local station in Coral Isles gave reports to their respective viewers any progress and updates on the scene as they became available.

"Good evening. This is Angela Mongoose with CINews. Behind me, is the Moonlight Hotel that around 2:30 this afternoon was rocked to its core by a massive explosion that sent patrons and staff of the hotel scrambling for their lives from falling debris and other objects falling on top of them. The cause of the explosion was overly expanded gas lines that burst leaking out gas that made contact with fires from the pilots of boilers in the basement of the hotel. Unfortunately, some patrons lost their lives in the explosion and from attempts to jump from various floors to the ground below falling on unsuspecting people, either severely injuring them or killing them. Rescue efforts by trained rescue personnel and brave civilian rescuers are underway for survivors and recovery efforts for those who perished. As this story continues, we will keep you the viewers posted with any new developments on this tragedy. Until then, this is Angela Mongoose with CINews.

Back inside of the café, Rouge and the other patrons of the shop looked up at the TV with horror and sadness at the tragedy told by the various news reporters.

"Shadow please be ok, I need you to be alright…I love you so much…" Rouge said while holding her head in her hands. Another patron, a young Mobian lynx named Kelly, approached Rouge to offer words of comfort to her. Rouge takes notice to the girl and regards her with a sad smirk and a sigh. "Do you know anyone inside of that hotel?"

"No. Do you?" asked Kelly.

Rouge answered with a cracked voice, "Yes, my husband. He went to help with rescuing people and it's been a while now and I've heard nothing on him. I'm scared…"

"I'm sure he's ok; just don't give up on him, alright? I'm here for you." Kelly concluded with a reassuring pat on Rouge's left shoulder.

Of course, deep inside Rouge thought it was easier said than done. Rouge's mind plagued her with the 'what ifs' and she could no longer contain the flood of tears ready to burst out of her already puffy and bloodshot eyes and..."SHAAADOOOOW!" Rouge dropped down in front of Kelly crying hysterically which prompted Kelly to immediately offer comfort to her with Mrs. Baxter following in comforting the she-bat.

With little trouble from pieces of wall and light fixtures littering the floor, the group made their way to and up the stairs to the second floor. "We're close now, folks. One floor and we're outta here." Lou said with confidence. The other patrons sighed contently with hope for a swift and safe exit. The group moved along the darkened hallway and one of the patrons heard something that sounded like loose floor boards. The others paid no mind to the noise and reached the end of the hall. Starting from the end of the hall and working towards the stairs leading to the third floor, it was decided that each patron check a room for more survivors. Every room checked on the floor came up empty, except one. Bree, the young girl who got separated from her parents at the start of the catastrophe was found by Lou. "Hey kid, over here, you're safe now…" Bree ran and hugged Lou in thanks for saving her. Lou gave Bree a 'once-over' to check for injuries. Finding nothing of concern on the child, he asked, "Where are your mom and dad? You got separated from them?"

Yes mister, they fell down a hole and they told me to hide in one of the rooms until help came for me."

"Well, we're getting on our way to the top of this place so hopefully, you get to see your folks again, ok? Lou proclaimed.

"Ok. Thank you, sir." Lou gave her a wink and ushered her out of the room.

While everyone was waiting outside of the room commenting about their dire situation, moments later Bree and Lou walked out. "Got us a live one, let's move on folks." instructed Lou. As the group started to head back towards the other end of the hallway, Unit A of the rescue team spotted the group and walked over to them. "Is everyone ok?" one of the rescue personnel asked.

"Yeah, but we got one banged up really bad; he needs help and fast!" Lou told the tech as he pointed to the young man with the twisted leg.

"Ok, my teammate will take him from here. Everyone else follow the rest of us. We have a way to the roof where another team is waiting for us. But first, we need to plan how we're going to get everyone to climb over all this rubble to get to the third level."

The group and Unit A paused to hatch a plan to help all get over the rubble (which looked mountainous) that included making a Mobian-made grappling system with the strongest of the rescue techs and civilians within the group positioning themselves on the rubble while being connected by joining hands and using themselves to allow the weakest to climb the organic system to reach the upper level.

While everyone and everything around Rouge seemed to be moving at supersonic speed, the moment for Rouge in her personal space seem to be at a standstill giving her freedom to think to herself as she reminisced about her and Shadow's happiest day in their young lives.

**Flashback: Wedding Day**

As Shadow turned to look his beautiful bride into her loving eyes, he became filled with emotion as he began to give his promise to the one who will journey with him throughout life and together write their life story with each passing memory made.

"I Shadow, take you Rouge, to be my wife. To share the good times and hard times side by side. I humbly give you my hand and my heart as I pledge my faith and love to you. Just as this ring I give you today is a circle without end, my love for you is eternal. Just as it is made of incorruptible substance, my commitment to you will never fail. With this ring, I thee wed."

**End Flashback.**

Kelly calmly shook Rouge out of her daydream. Rouge looked up at Kelly and began an emotional plea. "I would give anything to hold him now, hear his voice…stare into his eyes and…"

"Oh Rouge…" Kelly whispered sorrowfully.

"I love him so much…If he doesn't make it out of there on his own…I can't…I don't want to live without him! We were meant to be! Why did this have to happen to us! Things are too perfect in our lives! WHY IS THIS HAPPENING TO ME? I'VE DONE NO WRONG BY NO ONE. I'M A GOOD PERSON, I REALLY AM!" Kelly made another attempt at comforting Rouge, but she dismissed the gesture and Kelly respectfully backed away to give Rouge needed space.

Rouge was distraught to the point she felt weak and ill in her stomach. She laid her head on the table while holding her stomach and continued sobbing wishing this living nightmare would soon end.


	7. Chapter 7

_Italicized_ words: thoughts and/or to make emphasis.

**SEVEN**

After a few minutes of butting heads to come up with a simple exit strategy, Unit A's lead tech lead everyone to the second floor stairs. The group made another pass over the weakened floor boards and with the extra weight from Unit A now adding to it, the floor made it clear to them that it's going to give way at any minute by creaking and splitting. The group noticed and was instructed to hurry along so they did not become victims of the floor's collapse.

With their plan in place, the volunteers got into their positions atop the rubble and the survivors climbed their way up onto the third floor. Unit B were put on standby should the need for them arose.

Shadow and Lou decided to climb up last to make sure all of the patrons and staff remaining were up onto the third floor and out to the safety of the roof. Moments later, everyone was now through the hole and on their way to safety thanks to the efforts of everyone involved. The lead tech asked the two remaining if his help was needed and Shadow told him it wasn't necessary for their climb, but asked him to hook up the other end of a cable w/harness system he had with him to something sturdy like a pipe. The tech did as he was asked as he found a pipe still intact a few meters from him and proceeded to attach the cable to the base of the pipe and tugging on it to ensure it will support the weight of Shadow and Lou. The tech was then sent out to assist with help on the roof.

Shadow insisted that Lou climb up first. Of course Lou, being older with a stern disposition objected, making Shadow shake his head in disbelief and try to reason with the elder. After some back and forth banter about who should climb first, Lou conceded and hooked up to the device and prepared for the climb.

Climbing slowly and steadily, Lou made his way onto the third floor and as he tried to get his footing on the rubble on the floor, some is scattered around his immediate area and some fall through the hole onto Shadow.

"Hey Lou, I'm trying to get out of here in one piece, you know…" Shadow playfully shouts.

"Awh, quit ya whinin' junior! Your quills are as tough as nails! Surprised the damn board didn't split in two when it hit 'em."

"Very funny, Pops! Get out of my way; you're blocking my exit!"

"Move it, Shadow! We're waiting on ya!"

Lou threw down the line he used to Shadow and he fashioned the harness attached to it around his waist. Shadow was now hooked and ready to be hoisted onto the third floor. Once on the third, he was relieved to see that only a few meters away is the door that will finally reunite him with his wife Rouge who anxiously awaits him at the cafe he instructed her to take refuge in. After unhooking himself from the harness, he unconsciously misjudged the amount of debris and rubble underneath his feet. He began to move faster than safely needing to towards Lou and the door. "It's over Lou! Everyone's alright now?"

"Yeah. Get your ass on kid!" Lou noticed Shadow was moving too fast and warned, "Hey wait, careful there son, watch yourself..."

Shadow took one more step forward and suddenly slipped on a piece of debris and stumbled backwards and through the hole in the third floor landing on the second floor, but the velocity of his fall caused the already weak floor to finally cave sending him through the newly created hole and landing back first onto rubble on the first floor. Shadow hollered out in agony while arching his back upwards reacting to the pain that's sending shockwaves throughout his body.

"SHADOW!" Lou exclaimed watching in horror. "Talk to me! What's hurtin' ya kid?"

"UUUUUGH, my back, Lou it's….I can't move!"

"DON'T!" Lou frantically looked around to see if there was any rescue personnel around to help the fallen Shadow. "Help! Shadow's fallen and he's fucked up! I need some fucking help here!"

"LOU! JUST GO! I'LL BE OK….AAAAAAH!" Shadow insisted painfully.

"I ain't leavin you til you get up here..…somebody come on dammit, the boy needs help NOW!" Lou frantically pleaded to any rescue personnel.

"Lou…" Shadow started, "I'll be alright, I may can make it. Please get out of here"

"But Shadow, we can get you outta here, hang on!"

"No listen. If there's that chance I don't make it outta here Lou, go to the cafe near here and tell Rouge...UGH...I love...her...and I...I'm...sor...sorry, ok?"

"No, Shadow! You're telling her yourself even if I have to carry your crippled ass there to do it...someone help him now, dammit!" Realizing after a few seconds that there's no one around to help, Lou turned his attention back to Shadow. "Shadow, look…I…"

"LOU, STOP BEING SO FUCKING STUBBORN AND GO!"

"Shadow, hang...shit!" Lou slammed balled fists upon the floor then lifted himself up and walked down the hall, through the door, and up to the roof to tell the waiting rescue unit that Shadow will make it out of the hotel on his own much to Lou's dismay.

"Hello again viewers, this is Angela Mongoose with continuing coverage of the terrible tragedy at the Moonlight hotel. There's word from the police and rescue teams that they are starting to evacuate surviving patrons and staff from the hotel either by leading them next to the nonfunctioning doors at the front of the hotel where there's a gaping hole caused by the explosion or rescue from units on the roof of the building. No word yet on the impending death toll, but good news is the sight of many being carried out of the hotel and some walking on their own power. We will stay with this story until the very end and bring updates as they come to us. Live at the Moonlight Hotel, this is Angela Mongoose, CINews."

Rouge and the other café patrons stare blankly at the TV screen until Rouge breaks the silence speaking to Kelly. "I have to believe, believe Shadow is among the rescuers. His abilities alone surpass any that the rescue squads have put together…"

"Really? How's that?...wait..…you did say your husband's name is Shadow, right?"

"Yes."

"Shadow? _THEE_ Shadow the Hedgehog?"

"Yeah, that very one. He isn't just any hedgehog you know; he's the Ultimate Life form."

"Wow….oh yeah…he'll show up; give him a moment Rouge…"

Mrs. Baxter came up to the ladies and asked Rouge, "You said earlier that you're on your honeymoon, right? Have you thought to call family back home on the situation?"

"I haven't thought of that, my mind's been on Shadow. Let me do that now…"

Rouge started to move towards the counter then a thought hit her. She turned to Mrs. Baxter and asked, "Is there an international phone line here?"

"Yes. Go to the counter; they'll help you, honey. Good luck."

"Thanks for everything you two!"

"No problem, Rouge. Good luck." "I pray that favor is found for your husband and he returns to you without harm." replied Kelly and Mrs. Baxter. Rouge hugged the two ladies and headed for the counter and was given permission by the waiter to call home to give her family and in-laws the news of their disastrous honeymoon.


	8. Chapter 8

_Italicized _words: thoughts and/or to make emphasis.

**EIGHT**

Rescue efforts continued on into the latter part of the evening hours. The third floor of the Moonlight Hotel slowly started to fill with smoke for the damage had made its way up and soon, the whole hotel will be nothing but a huge pile of ashes.

Underneath on the first floor, many, if not all survivors have been escorted out and recovery efforts are now underway. Teams swept the accessible units and fire exits and found many dead patrons and staff and prepared body bags to transport them to various hospitals to be identified, prepped, and families not waiting outside the hotel, notified about their conditions.

Outside, loved ones rushed to greet survivors who have made it out with little or no injuries and some followed those whose injuries warranted them trips to the local hospitals. Others were not in good spirits when they discovered that their loved ones were unfortunate victims of the building's devastation when they didn't see them either walking out on their own, or on gurneys. Chaplains and grief counselors were on hand consoling the grief stricken. City sanitation workers and utility crews were working tirelessly to clean up as much of the debris as possible without disrupting police investigation areas and power and water line shut off temporarily within the city block of the hotel. Little by little, professional and civilian rescue crews carried out the bags of the fallen and loaded up ambulances and made their way to the hospitals. Their day of service has come to an end.

"Hello viewers, I'm Angela Mongoose with an update on the latest developments on the tragedy at the Moonlight Hotel. Rescue efforts are slowing down as we see that many of many of the patrons and staff of the hotel have either been taken to area hospitals and some behind me in the comfort of loved ones…." The reporter stopped in mid-sentence and placed a finger on her earpiece as she received news to deliver to the viewers. "Yeah….uh huh…ok….now? Ok, thanks. I just got word that there are still some survivors trapped on the roof and helicopter medical units are positioning themselves to rescue the remaining survivors before the imminent collapse of the roof. As you can see, (camera is angled to show the smoky roof and those trapped on it) they are waving to the helicopters to alert them of their presence…" As the reporter droned on about the current situation outside of the hotel, we go back inside of the hotel.

Unfortunately for Shadow, he landed in an area of the first floor where the first wave of rescuers had no safe access to and was overlooked completely. With the fear of not knowing if he'd actually broken his back on the rubble, the half-conscious Shadow wrestles with the option to attempt to move but he's stuck at a mental crossroads. He did his best to put himself into a calm state and relaxed all of his muscles. He began to put the past few days of his young married life into perspective. The more he thought of these events: his and Rouge's vows exchanged to one another on their wedding day, their thoughts about spending the rest of their lives together after the marriage, the excitement of their honeymoon, and now this point in time, those thoughts would be the motivation he needed to test if his back was indeed broken. He began to slowly turn his body onto its side. His back isn't broken, but the pain is so intense, he threw himself onto his back once again to alleviate some of the pain. He knew he couldn't stay like this if he ever was to make it out of the hotel alive. He attempted again and he got as far as being on his hands and knees. The pain is evident on Shadow's face and he held back a muffled cry. After crawling a few yards forward, he resigned to a sitting position against a pile of rubble. He thought he would make one final attempt to get up and with his final try; he closed his eyes and softly called out the name of the person who would inspire him to ultimately get up and save himself. "Rouge…"

Shadow, not far from the hole where he fell through, with whatever strength he had left in his massive arms and legs, with a pained grunt lifted himself up using the rubble as leverage and began to climb just for some of the debris from the uppermost floor to come down on him and he was forced to go onto the second floor.

On the second floor, Shadow stood before the imposing mound of rubble contemplating on how he was going to climb without causing the rubble to slip from underneath his feet when his sensitive ears caught a distant cry from a nearby unit. With all of the smoke that had accumulated, it's a wonder that they are more survivors alive. Shadow staggered his way towards the unit and banged on the door. Holding a cloth to his mouth to block out as much smoke as possible, a stocky brown bear named Curt opened the door and is relieved that help has finally arrived for him.

"Are you alright? Good thing I heard you crying for help. I know a way out of here, follow me. By the way, I'm Shadow."

"Thanks a lot Shadow, I'm Curt. Man, I thought I was gonna die in here."

Shadow slowly walked toward the rubble and Curt stopped him. "I think there's another way out; that way…." Curt pointed in the opposite direction. Shadow is unsure if that's the safest way out seeing that the smoke is very dense and faint light from fire can be seen.

"I don't know about that way."

"Trust me, I was on my way there earlier but I got too scared to go by myself so I went back inside the room to wait for someone to come for me. I think we can get around that smoke; there's some stairs leading to the third floor, Hurry!" Curt started to walk briskly towards the stairs. Shadow, not so much…"Hey, I'm hurt pretty bad; I can't walk as fast as you."

"Sorry, let me help you…." Curt attempted to hold up Shadow but he declined the offer and suggested that Curt just walk in stride with him. Approaching the stairs, they hear sounds of soft pained moaning.

"Do you hear that?" questioned Curt.

"Yeah. It's another survivor. I wonder how many are still alive. The smoke alone should have killed us all."

"Well, someone wants us around a little more huh?"

"I suppose."

The two men headed towards the sound and discovered an elderly woman barely clinging to life trapped underneath a large steel beam across her mid-section moaning with internal injuries, injuries evident by the blood sliding out of her mouth onto the floor. The men kneeled on either side of the woman. Curt began assessing her situation and thinks about ways to get the beam off without causing further injury to her. As he was thinking, Shadow leaned down and told the woman that they are there to help and as soon as possible will have the beam off and get help for her.

"Shadow, this damned beam will need both of us to lift it. I know your back is bad; I'll bear most of the weight, alright?"

"Don't worry about my back. Equal weight distributed means the beam is lifted faster. She cannot afford us playing around with the beam Curt."

The woman moaned louder as to tell her bickering saviors _"Get a move on! My lifeblood escapes me with each passing second!" _

"Sorry Ma'am, we're gonna lift the beam slowly. Please stay as calm as you can, ok? Here we go…." instructed Curt. "Shadow, we'll lift on three."

"Yes, on three…."

Shadow and Curt got themselves on opposite ends of the beam to get a handle on it. Just thinking about lifting the heavy beam with his back in such pain, made Shadow give a grimacing look to the beam. Curt looked up at Shadow with a questioning look and Shadow nodded telling him that he's ready to get this ordeal over with.

"Come on Shadow, you can do this, you can do this!" he whispered to himself. He and Curt began to lift the beam. Shadow felt every bit of his back muscles wrenching tight, nerves pinching causing great pain. He placed his head to his chest with his teeth clenched. His eyes shut tightly. The more weight his arms and back bore, the louder he hollered until the beam was slowly moved aside freeing the woman from her steel prison. Curt, being the healthier of the two men, lifted his end almost effortlessly. The elderly woman lifted her head as much as she could and thanked her saviors with a very soft voice. Shadow breathing heavily, looked at the woman with compassionate yet painful eyes, dropped to his knees, rolled his eyes up in their sockets and fell forward passing out from shock. Curt, not knowing what to think of what just happened to Shadow, panicked and ran towards the stairs to find out that Shadow's option was the only way to get out and made his way to the rubble and climbed all the way to the third floor and out onto the roof to seek help for the two injured he left behind.


	9. Chapter 9

**NINE**

_Italicized_ words: thoughts and/or to make emphasis.

With the smoke and fire escalating and threatening to consume the entire second floor, time is of the essence for Shadow and the elderly woman freed from the steel beam that are now unconscious from smoke inhalation and other injuries sustained from the devastation of the hotel. Now on the roof, Curt ran over to the first rescue tech in his sight and explained to him that there are still survivors but their injuries call for assistance to be transported out. The tech radioed his leader to explain the new situation and the leader ordered a team to go back in to retrieve the two mentioned and do a final sweep of the accessible areas.

The team sent in for final retrieval scaled down the rubble and made their way towards the area Curt told them to expect the two survivors. Barely able to see the two, a tech turned on a high powered flashlight capable of cutting through the dense smoke and the techs got to work assessing the two injured. Shadow came to from being shaken and techs checking necessary parts of his body for obvious injuries, especially his back. An oxygen mask was placed over his muzzle. Shouting over the noise of the tumult in the building, the tech questioned Shadow, "Sir? Can you stand?"

"No, my back is killing me!"

"Ok sir, we're calling for a stretcher for you and we'll lift you out through the hole down the hall and you'll be transferred to a hospital. We'll be as gentle as we can so we don't further injure your back. Is your legs broken or sprained?"

"No, they're fine."

"Good. Hang tight a moment, ok?"

Shadow nodded. While Shadow was being tended to, two other techs were assessing the elderly woman and concluded that her injuries were so severe, they didn't want to cause further injury to her already broken body by attempting to move her for any reason. The only things done for her was that an oxygen mask had been placed over her muzzle and a stretcher called to immediately transport her via Medevac to a hospital.

Moments later, two stretchers arrived and the techs began the painstaking task of delicately lifting the two injured onto them and the real challenge began. The techs had to figure out how they were going to lift stretchers with people on them and carry them on a pretty sharp incline composed of rubble. Confident that the two injured are fastened securely, they made a chain along the rubble similar to the earlier chain used by Unit A and the group of survivors that made it onto the roof. Discomfort is expressed by Shadow and the elderly woman by groans, but the techs with no other options, continued on until the two stretchers were safely onto the third floor.

It has been decided by the Police Commissioner and other authorities that evacuation and recovery efforts were concluded and all rescue personnel were ordered to evacuate the premises. With most people safely on the ground, there's the issue with people still trapped on the roof….

On the roof, Medevac helicopters began lifting survivors little by little off the roof and then were taken to area hospitals for treatment of any injuries.

Lou stuck around out of curiosity to see what had become of Shadow. He began to fear the worst when he looked down from the roof and saw body bags being loaded into ambulances and thought, _"I hope you ain't in one of those bags, kid. He said something about a café nearby and some chick named….ah, I forget…."_ He shook his head and continued to watch in hopes he would see Shadow coming out of the hotel alive at least.

"Look! There are techs coming out of the door with two more survivors! Thank goodness!" cheered one survivor. The rescue techs successfully extracted Shadow and the elderly woman from the hotel and are now being prepped for Medevac transport. Lou turned around upon hearing the exclamation from the survivor and recognized one of the survivors lying on a stretcher, Shadow.

"Shadow?" Lou ran over to Shadow relieved to see him alive.

"Hey Lou."

"Shush kid, save your strength."

"I'll get to tell Rouge I love her after all, huh?"

"Yeah, I guess so." Lou said while patting Shadow on his shoulder. "Good to see you son."

"Thank you Lou. Thanks for everything."

"Get out of here. Go to Rouge."

Lou stepped back to allow the techs to place Shadow into the Medevac as the elderly woman was already placed onboard and watched as the helicopter took to the skies to take them to the hospital.

"So long, kid."

Curt stood some fifty feet from where the two stretchers were loaded into the Medevac and as he watched it take off, he mouthed, "I'm sorry for leaving you in there. Forgive me."

Inside the café, Rouge after calling her family and friends about her and Shadow's situation, walked back over to the front door and saw two more ambulances leave and a Medevac helicopter take off heading westward and still, no sign of Shadow. With the ambulances and helicopter leaving, Rouge began to get desperate with wanting to know if Shadow was still inside of the hotel and if so, what condition was he in.

"Oh, no! This can't be happening! NOOOOO!" Rouge shouted startling the other café patrons. Before anyone could stop her, she bolted out of the door and ran towards the hotel screaming, 'SHADOW! SHADOW!' until she was stopped by a police officer who placed a firm hold to her shoulders in an effort to slow her down and offer help to her.

"Whoa there, Ma'am, calm down. What can I…"

"My husband's in there! I need to see him!"

"Ma'am, everyone has been evacuated out of there. You can call the hospitals to see if he's been admitted to one of them."

"Thank you, sir!"

Rouge ran back inside the café heading towards the counter.

"Rouge, are you ok?" "Calm down! Sit down girl!" said Kelly and Mrs. Baxter, attempting to calm down Rouge who ran past them nearing the counter.

"No, he's in the hospital! Please be in a hospital, please!" Rouge responded. Reaching the counter, she grabbed a local phone directory, looked through it and found the 'hospitals' section and began to circle certain ones. Rouge then called the first hospital she circled on the alphabetized list, Alpine Valley Memorial.

A receptionist answered on the third ring. (Typical for the business setting)

"Alpine Valley Memorial hospital emergency department, how may I help you?"

"Uh, hi. I'm looking for a possible patient named Shadow the Hedgehog. He should have been brought to you sometime today?"

"I can check for you Ma'am, one moment..."

The silence on the opposite end felt like an eternity for Rouge and she began to silently pray that either Shadow is at this hospital or another, or on his way to the cafe.

"Ma'am, there's no admittance of a Shadow the Hedgehog listed. I'm sorry"

"Oh my God, he didn't arrive yet?"

"No Ma'am, he may be on his way here. Is this in reference to the tragedy at the hotel in the city?"

"Yes."

"Well Ma'am, if he happens to show up here, is there some way for us to notify you?"

Rouge looked around her immediate area to find the phone number to the cafe and gave the receptionist the number. She gave her thanks and hung up.

"Where are you Shadow?" she wondered sullenly.

Call number two was to Coral Isles Medical Center. Rouge was met with the same result as the first inquiry to Alpine Valley Memorial. With her anxiety level peaked, Rouge made a call to a third hospital, The Sacred Heart Hospital. Upon calling this center, she was welcomed with the most annoying digital service known to Mobius, the dreaded automated system. "You have reached Sacred Heart Hospital's automated directory assistance. For English, press one." Rouge complied by pressing one. "Please listen carefully as our menu options have changed. To speak to a nurse on call, press one. For the administrative offices department, press two. Emergency department, press three. With her increasing frustration with the system, she slammed down button three. "One moment, while we connect your call..."

"Oh come the hell on! God I hate these auto operators! Where's a real person for emergencies, dammit! Ugh!"

"Hello, Sacred Heart Emergency, can I help you?"

Taking a calming breath, Rouge began, "Hi, I'm trying to find a Shadow the Hedgehog who may have been admitted there?"

"One second...hedge...hog... Shadow..." The nurse murmured as she typed. "Ma'am? I'm s..." The call was interrupted by a massive explosion from the hotel that shook the structure violently and sent debris flying everywhere. People near the hotel scrambled to find shelter from the debris with some running inside the cafe. Rouge dropped the phone and ran under a table as precaution should the impact of the explosion shatter the front windows and glass door front with many of the cafe patrons following suit including Kelly and Mrs. Baxter.

The final explosion caused sections of the roof to fall in on itself taking a few unfortunate survivors with it. The remaining began to panic. The rescue crews began to usher everyone to the opposite end of the roof. Medevac copters one by one, dropped baskets down to collect survivors two at a time. However, it was an effective but slow process and the collapsing roof was making its way toward them steadily. With that realization, a risky plan was implemented where two Medevac copters would deploy baskets simultaneously. With skillful maneuvering, the copters were able to drop baskets faster and the rescue crews were able to get all those who remained and themselves into the baskets and on to safety mere seconds before the roof ultimately collapsed completely.

The Moonlight Hotel is nothing more than mangled metal, a massive pile of rubble, cinder, and regretfully, a grave for those buried underneath the devastated structure.

Firefighters began the arduous process of battling flames that will take them into the early morning hours. Meanwhile in the cafe, patrons got themselves from under the tables relieved to see the storefront still intact but the relief is bittersweet, especially for Rouge. She slowly walked to the window filled with dread with the possibility that Shadow could very well be trapped underneath the skeletal remains of the Moonlight Hotel.

At this point with her hope dwindling, Rouge began to think that maybe she will never behold Shadow's face, love and be loved by him and live that 'white picket fence' life they had planned for their future. Rouge leaned her head against the window and cried.

Another cafe patron, a young adult male koala named Anthony, came to stand beside Rouge and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder and to alert her of his presence. Rouge turned to see Anthony and shook her head. "We were supposed to be on our honeymoon. He wanted to play the fucking hero and save those people! Damn me; damn how I would feel if he didn't make it out of that hotel! Damn him!"

"Shhh, don't think like that! Look, he may still be alive." said Anthony.

"Look at it!" Rouge shouted while pointing to the hotel. "Do you REALLY think anyone would still be alive in that? How dense can you be! He's dead. My Shadow is gone!" As her last words were spoken, Rouge fell into the arms of the koala and whimpered into his chest.

Kelly and Mrs. Baxter watched Rouge's emotional breakdown and turned towards each other, one with a plan in mind. Kelly told Mrs. Baxter her plan and Mrs. Baxter nodded. Kelly walked over to Rouge who is now sitting with her head down on the table.

"Rouge?" Kelly started softly. "You said your husband is the Ultimate Life Form, right?"

Rouge looked up at Kelly. "Yeah, what of it?"

"Well I thought because of what he is, he might actually be alive. He may have been taken to one of the hospitals for a simple check to make sure he's ok. Did you call ALL of the hospitals?"

"No, I didn't. Oh, shit! I was on the phone with one when that explosion happened! I lost the call and..."

"Rouge! It's ok. I could call around for you; just sit and relax. Your husband is alive. I believe it, you should too."

Rouge allowed herself a moment to let Kelly's words sink in. Sighing, Rouge replied, "Ok. You're right, I got to believe. But I miss him so much Kelly!"

"I know you do."

With that, Kelly left Rouge to her thoughts and went to her task of calling hospitals in the search for her distraught friend's husband.

Kelly saw that Rouge had circled certain hospitals and crossed out the ones which Shadow wasn't taken to. She remembered Rouge mentioning something about not being able to complete a call and coincidentally, called that hospital. Kelly was told what Rouge didn't get the chance to hear; that Shadow was not admitted there. She went further down the list and saw that Rouge had circled one called Whitmore General Hospital. She called hoping this one will help to put Rouge's mind at ease.

"Whitmore General Hospital emergency department, can I help you?"

Kelly started, "Hello. I'm trying to locate a patient named Shadow the Hedgehog. He was in an accident at a hotel and was taken to one of the hospitals, hopefully here."

"I can check if we have someone by that name here. One moment…."

Kelly patiently waited for a response from the receptionist and turned to see Rouge, Anthony, and Mrs. Baxter talking. She remained hopeful that this is the place where Shadow is being treated. She brought her attention back to the phone when the receptionist returned.

"Hello Ma'am? There is a Shadow the Hedgehog who was admitted here approximately thirty-five minutes ago and was taken to the ICU. He is currently in unit 730-b. Are you next of kin?"

"No. Actually, I'm calling on behalf of his wife who got separated from him in some way. _I think." _

"Ok. We'll see you soon then."

"Thanks a lot. I'll tell her."

With some much needed good news, Kelly excitedly ran to the table where Rouge and the others were.

"Rouge, I found him! He's at Whitmore General Hospital! He's alive just like I said!"

"He's alive? Oh my God! Thank you so much!"

"Go to your man girl! Good luck!"

Rouge hugged the three patrons who would leave a permanent mark on her heart and ran out of the cafe for the last time en route to Whitmore General. Mrs. Baxter and Anthony watched with smiles on their faces and tears falling from the elder's face.

Rouge asked around for directions to the hospital. After receiving the directions, she prepared herself by fully extending her powerful wings and went airborne flying in the direction she was given for the hospital with renewed excitement about the reunion with her beloved.


	10. Chapter 10

_Italicized_ words: thoughts and/or to make emphasis.

**TEN**

At Whitmore General Hospital, Triage area

As a result of the tragedy at the Moonlight Hotel, the waiting area was filled beyond capacity with the sick and injured. Nurses were stretched to their limit to service the many currently needing attention and the many more en route to the hospital. One patient in particular was giving already weary medical staff a really hard way to go in providing care...

"I have to see my wife! I'm alright dammit! Let me out of here!" Shadow exclaimed with nurses attempting to stabilize him on the gurney.

"Sir, you have some internal bleeding. We need to stabilize you and you should allow yourself to heal and you'll be well enough to reunite with her. Please sir, let us help you get to her as soon as possible, ok?" One nurse pleaded.

"Fine. I guess you haven't heard of me or my abilities then?"

"Abilities, sir?"

Shadow sighed in resignation. "Forget it; just...do what you must."

Shadow was examined and it was determined that his internal injuries would need immediate attention. He was then taken to the OR to have minor surgery to repair torn muscles in his back and to stop his internal bleeding. The surgeons were astounded to find that most of his injuries have started the healing process leaving them questioning whether or not he's even a true Mobian. With Shadow's DNA, his recovery time is relatively short, about two days, max. Now with his back sutured, cleaned, and bandaged, Shadow was taken to the ICU where he could begin his short stay in recovery.

Once the transporter settled Shadow into his bed, he was told to turn off the light and exited leaving Shadow in the dark, alone with his thoughts. Shadow relaxed himself and closed his eyes. His heart and mind were filled with regret of his failed promise of returning to Rouge safely. _"Rouge, I'm so sorry, please forgive me! I...promised..."_

Rouge arrived at Whitmore General and weaved her way through the reception area where many patients were waiting to be seen with medical staff rushing here and there and was awe stricken at the sight of the aftermath of hotel explosion; from simple cuts and bruises, to nurses administering CPR to a few who coded. Back to her task, she continued her walk over to the receptionists' desk and inquired on the whereabouts of her husband and was given the room number to where Shadow is recovering in.

Upon entering the room, Rouge stopped and placed a hand over her mouth in surprise as she beheld the surreal sight of the man who prides himself on his power over chaos and his domination over any and all who oppose him lying in a vulnerable state. Rouge slowly walked over to the right side of Shadow who had his eyes closed; tears streaming down her face.

"Shadow?" Rouge whispered softly caressing his cheek.

Shadow slowly opened his eyes and blinked a few times to focus on his wife. He reached out his hand for Rouge's which she gladly took hold to.

"Rouge…I'm sorry…"

"No, don't be. I'm just glad you're alive. I was worried I would never see you again. I love you so much!"

"Well Missy, no little 'motel' was going to keep me from my wife. Now…maybe the one we're staying in…" he winced from the pain that even a slight chuckle caused.

"Honey, be careful. I'm not going anywhere until you get better, ok? Remember our vows?"

"How could I forget? You remind me of them with each passing second…I love you, Rougey." Rouge gingerly laid her head beside Shadow's. While caressing Rouge's hair, Shadow turned on the TV to the news showing continuing footage on the hotel disaster.

"Honey?"

"Hmm?" Rouge murmured.

"What do you think of all of this, what I've done although this result wasn't expected of me?"

"You're my ultimate hero, that's what…" She answered giving a kiss upon Shadow's lips. "You know, you're being regarded a hero around here."

"Is that so?"

"I was in the company of really good people in that cafe who helped me to stay strong for you. They held you in high regard. I owe so much to them though I may never see them again."

"In that case, I owe them a bit of gratitude as well. Shadow began his next words with a seductive smirk on his face. "You know Rouge, our honeymoon is still young. We can stay a few days longer to make up for our time in here…you like that?"

"I would love that very much. You know Shaddie, the first thing I want to do when we get out of here is..."

"What's that, love?"

"Go jet skiing!"

"Deal." Shadow chuckled and kissed Rouge on her forehead.

The couple cozied up and continued to watch the news footage. Minutes later, Shadow closed his eyes and reflected on his heroics at the hotel while allowing the sedatives to work him into a peaceful slumber with Rouge staring contently at her hero in life…._and love._

**THE END**

**Another one…DONE! Thanks for reading and I hope you all have enjoyed this story. Let me know what you think, ok?**


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